USA > South Dakota > Jerauld County > A history of Jerauld county, South Dakota > Part 5
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In the Posey household at that time there were eleven persons and as it was impossible to make separate beds for all one long bunk was built across one end of the shanty which served as a brace for the walls and a sleeping place for the whole family.
On the SE of 5-107-63, a gentleman named I. P. Ray had built a commodious house one and one-half story high, but his family had not yet arrived.
In sections 3 and 10 of 108-63 W. H. Arne and Richard Davenport had located, while Albert Ahart had built a house on the SE of 29, and August Scheel on the SE of 32. The last two settlers had put up their buildings in February.
The coming of the party mentioned at the beginning of this chapter was a welcome addition to the settlement. Mr. Gray had provided him- self with a tent and in it he and his family took up their abode.
By helping each other all were soon comfortably housed in their temporary quarters.
The 24th of June was an intensely hot day and the sun set in a bank of clouds that threatened a severe storm before morning. Each of the
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settlers kept close watch of the weather until toward midnight the clouds disappeared and all retired to rest.
About two o'clock in the morning a terrific wind storm struck the sleeping settlement. Ahart's house was literally crushed to splinters. The roof of Mrs. Bartlett's house was scattered over the prairie and the family exposed to the rain and hail that soon followed. The Gray tent was blown from its fastenings and whirled away in the darkness. The rain and hail began to come and getting a wide board that had been used by the family as a table, Mr. and Mrs. Gray held it in a slanting position over the terrified children, until the violence of the storm was past.
Mr. Ray, whose family had come on a few days before felt the house yielding to the fury of the wind and catching up the children he and his wife rushed for the protection of the sod stable that stood near. When about half way between the two building's he heard the house behind him crush to pieces and by the flare of the lightning he saw the roof of the sod stable go off with the wind. He stopped and for a minute braced against the wind while he thought what best to do. By the light of the thunder bolts he saw that the roof of the house had settled down onto the lower floor and seemed to be intact and holding together. It ap- peared to be the safest place and under it he hustled the family.
When the Posey family heard the storm coming they ran to the well that had been used for an outdoor cellar and crowded into that for shelter from the wind. The roof of the shanty soon disappeared and then the rain and hail came in torrents. The steps down into the cellar made a ditch for the water and soon the well was filling. They helped each other out of the hole and then ran to the walls of the shanty for protection. The bunk had braced the walls sufficiently to keep them up- right and under the bunk the whole family gathered and remained until daylight.
In the morning the settlers hurried about from one family to another to ascertain what damage had been done and who if any had been hurt. It was found that no one had been seriously injured, but the stock had been scattered. Nothing in the history of the county is more firmly fixed in the memory of the settlers of '82 than the storm in the night of June 24.
Nearly all of the settlers put in a few acres of sod crop and gathered a good harvest. In September a prairie fire swept over the settlement destroying a stable for Mr. Kellogg, who had settled on the NW of 31-108-63, and burned all the hay that Gray had made. Mr. Posey lost a part of his hay and R. J. Eastman lost all.
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Chapter 13.
Early in the spring of 1882, Joseph and John Steichen located in the central part of township 106-63, in sections 20 and 21, put up sod houses and made the beginning of what have since become some of the best farms in the county. They were soon followed by Andrew and Samuel Swenson, who settled in sections 5 and 9. These four settlers were in time to break up a few acres of prairie and each raised a fair crop of sod corn.
Later in the season, J. P. Parquet, C. C. Wright, Richard Dalton, John M. Wheeler and Thos. Biggar found land that suited them and became early pioneers of that township. All these settlers except Mr. Wright started their Dakota settlements with sod buildings.
The winter of 1882-83 was about an average Dakota winter, and the pioneers found plenty to occupy their time.
In February, 1883, Rev. J. G. Campbell, who was hauling building material from Mitchell to his farm near Wessington Springs, was caught by a snow storm and stayed over Sabbath with Mr. Wright. It was suggested that religious services be held and notice was accordingly sent out through the neighborhood. A few of the settlers gathered in re- sponse to the call and the first sermon in township 106-63 was preached by Mr. Campbell in Mr. Wright's house from the following text :
"A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth."-Isa. 42:3.
Geo. W. Ryckman came to 106-63 in April, 1883, and built a frame shanty on the NW of 5. At that time there was the residence of but one actual settler in sight from Ryckman's dwelling which stood on a little knoll. On the 4th of July folling quite a number of the newcomers gath- ered at Ryckman's to celebrate the day. Then, from the place of cele- bration, 72 residences were in sight. A few were frame shanties, many were of sod and some were "dug-outs."
One morning in the summer of 1883 a lady entered the Liverpool office of one of the great Trans-Atlantic steamship companies and bought a ticket for herself and six children-all boys-to Huron, D. T. Her luggage consisted of eleven large boxes packed almost to bursting. The trip was a nerve-racking one, with all the boys, each one curious to see every part of the ship. But the voyage was made without incident worthy of note until the ship, the "City of Berlin," arrived in the harbor of New York.
There the customs officers, the terror of all ocean travelers, came aboard. Now there is as much difference between revenue officers, as there is between civilized people and barbarians. Some would roughly
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break open a box or bail of goods, dump out the contents, scatter the articles about on the floor and after making a mark on the box to indi- cate that it contained no dutiable things, leave the mess for the owner to repack as best he or she could.
The English lady stood for some time watching the officers as they emptied and ransacked the bundles, bags, boxes and trunks of the other passengers. What would she do if they emptied all her luggage and spread it about like that! She thought she could never get it stowed again. She soon noticed the difference in the methods of the govern- ment agents and picking out a man with a kindly face she approached him and holding out the keys to her packages told him she was in a hurry, that she had six little boys to look after, and wouldn't he please inspect her goods.
"Madam," he said, "do all these packages belong to you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well," he said musingly, "you do not look like a smuggler, so just open this box first. Now put your hand down on the inside clear to the bottom and pass it around the box. There now lock it up again and we will peep into the others." So they went through all the boxes, the of- ficer putting a chalk mark on each one as she locked it. In a few hours they were on the train with no more danger of the little fellows falling overboard, and if she could keep them together until they reached their destination she would think herself lucky indeed.
On the third day out from New York they arrived at Huron and made inquiry for a gentleman named Reed, to whom they had been directed. Mr. Reed being found, for whom the lady's husband was at work she requested that gentleman to please inform Mr. Thomas Shef- field that his wife and family had arrived. The husband soon appeared, and a few weeks later all were settled on their homestead, the SW of 22-108-63.
At the residence of August Scheel on the NE of 32-108-63 a. daughter was born on the 12th of December, 1882, and all the new- comers, who settled in that vicinity, must go and see the first native born in the township. The little lady grew to womanhood in that township and now bears the name of Mrs. William Ahart.
The spring of 1883 brought many new settlers to the townships in . range 63. All was hustle and hurry, the land must be selected and a trip made to the Mitchell land office to make a filing. Then lumber and other material brought for the claim buildings, for though the buildings were made of sod stripped from the prairie, the roofs, doors and window frames must be made of wood.
These primitive structures answered the purpose on the prairie that
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the log houses did in the forest settlements of the wooded states farther east.
In May, 1883, T. L. Blank and his sister, Sadie, (now Mrs. L. W. Castleman of Alpena) arrived from Iowa. Mr. Blank at once built a sod house on his claim, the SW of 27-108-63. Other settlers had come and more were arriving every day. There were a number of chil- dren in the neighborhood, and Miss Blank determined to organize a school. using her brother's sod residence for a school house. This school was commenced about the 10th of June, 1883, and in it were gathered Elva, Mary, Ella and Clara Eastman, Ira and Jessie Posey.
About the same time that Miss Blank began her day school a Sun- day school was organized at the residence of Chas. Eastman which was named Plainview Union Sunday School. Mr. Blank, who had been most energetic in its organization, was made superintendent, and Mrs. Chas. Eastman organist.
About the same time Liberty Sunday School was organized at the residence of I. P. Ray in 107-63.
Religious services, conducted by Rev. A. B. Smart, were held in con- nection with the Sunday schools.
Chapter 14.
In the early autumn of 1883 some of the people of township 108-65 ( Chery) determined to provide school privileges for their children. Mr. M. E. Small furnished a building, located on his homestead, the SE of 22, and Miss Sarah Johnson was employed as teacher. The school con- tinned for several months and was attended by the following named pupils : Chas. Miller, May Miller, Lucy Hill, Phoebe Hill, Ole Olson, Joe Thornton, Mary Johnson, Maggie Johnson.
The building in which this school was taught was afterward used by Mr. Small for a granary and still is in use on the same farm which is now owned by Mr. R. W. Johnson.
The teacher, Miss Johnson, afterward taught several terms in the public schools of the township and then married Mr. Owen Williams of Wessington Springs township. She died near Wessington Springs a few years later.
In township 108-65 occurred the first death in Jerauld county. A little child of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Bolton died after a short illness and was buried on their homestead, the NW quarter of section 32. The only
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cemetery in the county at that time was on the SW of 29-107-67, near Sulphur Springs. That was too far away and so, with the sympathetic aid of the neighbors the little one was laid near the prairie home and there it rests today.
On the 25th day of July, 1883, Mr. Jas. F. Bolton, who owned the NE of 31-108-65, employed Mr. H. J. Wallace, a surveyor, and platted a townsite, which he named "Monclova." He afterward changed the named to "Bolton," but he never recorded the plat nor soid any lots.
Benjamin Drake took the SE of 6-108-65 as a pre-emption claim in the spring of 1883. He put up a frame shanty and purchased a break- ing plow, which nearly exhausted his ready cash. He raised a few acres of flax and by the first of September was in shape to go comfortably through the winter. But that morning he met with a disaster that changed the whole aspect of affairs for him. He had risen early as usual and built a fire in his cook stove. He then took the water pail and went to the well, which he had dug about forty rods from the house. As he started back with the pail of water a dense volume of smoke at the shanty told him it was on fire. The old man hurried as fast as pos- sible, but before he reached the building the flames were bursting from the roof and sides. He lost all his outfit and had to build a sod house in which to spend the winter. He and his family worked hard for several years, but finally gave it up and moved to Minnesota, where they still live.
In the western part of 107-65 a Sunday school was organized with 26 members at the residence of Mr. Kendall on section 5, May 27th, 1883. M. D. Crow was elected superintendent, Mr. Kendall, assistant superintendent, Mrs. E. L. DeLine, secretary and treasurer, and R. S. Vessey, librarian. This organization was kept up until fall when it was merged in the Union Sunday school, held at the residence of Mr. J. N. Cross on the NE of 7.
With the coming of spring in 1883 Wessington Springs began to shown signs of life.
The territorial legislature that closed on the 9th of March had passed a bill enabling the people located in the townships numbered 106, 107 and 108 of Aurora county to make a new county of the townships described therein.
At once interest centered about the new town located at the big spring. The few residences in the vicinity were thronged with settlers and pros- pectors. The dwellings of Hiram Blowers, R. S. Bateman and A. B. Smart, being nearest the townsite, became almost per force, regular boarding houses.
C. W. McDonald and W. I. Bateman formed a partnership under the firm name of McDonald & Bateman, and began the publication of a
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weekly newspaper, named "The Wessington Springs Herald." The first issue published on the 24th day of March was printed in the office of the Aurora County Standard, then located at Plankinton. The next two issues were also printed in Plankinton, and then the Herald printing office was located in a room in R. S. Bateman's house a few rods south of the Wessington Springs townsite. The first issue printed in the new location was run through the press on the 28th day of April, 1883, and contained 15 quires of paper.
According to the law creating the new county, it could not take effect until the people residing in the proposed county should say by their votes that they desired the new political organization with the name as fixed by the legislature. The vote was taken on the 17th day of April and Jerauld county was born that day.
There has never been a time when the Dakotan has not felt an in- terest in politics. At this election one of the polling places was at the residence of I. P. Ray, in Franklin township. The result of the vote in that precinct was carried by L. W. Castleman that night to the residence of H. J. Wallace in Chery township.
On the day before the first issue of the Herald was printed in Mr. Bateman's house, a real estate firm by the name of Reed & Akin, began the construction of an office building on the south side of Main street, a short distance west of where the State Bank building now stands. It was moved across to the north side of the street a few weeks later and occupied by Drake & Magee, after Reed & Akin left the town, which occurred about the first of June. The Reed & Akin office was the first building to remain permanently on the townsite and at the time of its construction it was the only building on the original plat of the town. It now stands back of the office building of Ausman & Wallace and is used by that firm as a private office.
A few days later Mr. A. R. Powell, then a squatter in township 107 -66, hauled a load of lumber from Planktinton for Lew Hoes and a Mr. Phillips, who formed a partnership and with the load of lumber erected a rough board shanty, with a board shed roof. The building was . 16 feet square, and stood a little north and east of where the Oliver Hotel now stands.
In this building Hoes & Phillips opened a stock of groceries, which had been brought by Powell with the lumber for the building. This was the beginning of the commercial life of Wessington Springs.
A day or two after Hoes & Phillips put up their grocery "store," Mr. A. J. Wentworth built a shanty about where the stable of the M. E. parsonage is located. This building remained on the townsite but a
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short time. Mr. Wentworth moved it to his claim on the NE of 15- 107-65.
During the same month (April) the townsite company at that time composed of C. S. Burr, of Mitchell, and D. A. Scott, of Rockford, Ia., began active work to set the town on the way to a vigorous growth. A hotel was a first necessity and they commenced bringing lumber for that. purpose from Plankinton, then the nearest railroad point. It was a long haul, the roads were bad, and no bridges between Plankinton and the Springs. The worst place on the road was at the crossing of the west branch of the Firesteel creek in Aurora county. The water was high and the creek bed soft.
To remedy this difficulty Mr. Scott brought out some timbers and planks and built a bridge over the stream. That was a great convenience while it lasted, but a few days after the bridge was constructed a heavy rain flooded the stream and the bridge disappeared completely and for- ever so far as Mr. Scott was concerned.
About the last of. April a couple of gentlemen arrived from Ludlow, Vermont, to look at the new town with a view to building a hotel. Mr. Scott at once offered them the lumber that he had brought, at what it cost him, and also offered to make them a present of the tree lots on the corner where the First National Bank now stands. The offer was accepted and work on the foundation of the hotel commenced at once.
By the first of May the cellar was ready for the stone masons to begin laying wall. Quite a crowd was standing about when Mr. Mark Scofield rolled the first stone to its place in a bed of mortar and one of the by- standers exclaimed, "By Halifax! that's the first stone laid in mortar in the county of Jerauld." From that time the workmen rapidly pushed the work to completion.
On the 13th of April Mr. R. S. Bateman, who had been in Wiscon- sin soliciting funds for the erection of the church building, returned to the Springs and reported a successful trip. The matter being called to the attention of the townsite company, Messrs. Burr & Scott at once contributed five hundred dollars towards building the new church and also promised the society a block of lots upon which to build the edifice, a promise that was fufilled as soon as the preparations were completed.
April 22, 1883, two young men, quiet and unpretentious in demeanor, came into the little village at the foot of the hills, and soon became a part of the business life of the community. One of them, Mr. F. Drake, re- mained but a short time. The other, Mr. E. L. Smith, has lived in Wes- sington Springs more years than any other man. No man's handiwork
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has been felt in the now thriving city, to a greater extent than his. A carpenter by trade, Mr. Smith has been one of the few indespensible citizens of the place.
Chapter 15.
May 5th, 1883, Mr. T. R. Dunn, of the firm of Dunn & Hackett, arrived in Wessington Springs to prepare for opening a real estate office. Mr. Hackett remained in Mitchell a few days to close up some business he had there and to get a supply of blanks and others things essential for the office. In a few days the new firm procured a building that had been erected a short distance east of town and moved it onto one of the lots where Shull's drug store now stands. On May 19th their professional card first appeared in the Wessington Springs Herald. It was the begin- ning of an office maintained by Mr. Hackett for a number of years. The building was afterward moved across the street and now occupies a place in the rear of Hawthorne's restaurant.
About a month later, June 16th, 1883. Drake & Magee also opened a law and real estate office in the building put up by Reed & Akin.
Mr. Phillips remained in the grocery business with Lew Hoes but a short time and about the first of May sold his'interest, which was small. to C. H. and H. C. Stephens. The new firm conducted the business. under the name of Hoes & Stephens for a few days and then Mr. Hoes being compelled to go to Iowa for an indefinite stay, he sold his share to his partners, who continued the business for several months as H. C. & C. H. Stephens.
In the month of May Stephens Bros. began the construction of a store building, one and one-half stories high, that occupied their time during the following two months. By the fourth of July their building was so far along that they began selling goods over rough board counters. The upper story was made into one room, which was used as a public hall.
When Stephens' Hall was completed the church services were held in it instead of at Mrs. Riddle's house on section 8. Until the building of the First M. E. church the room over Stephens' store was the place for all public gatherings.
Immediately after Dunn & Hackett placed their office on the south side of Main street Sam Arnold and Will Housel began to put up a store
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building on one. of the vacant lots west of the present site of the State Bank.
During the first week in June, 1883, E. B. Orr, who had purchased of Jack Sutley the stage line from Planktinton to Huron, began the erec- tion of a livery stable in Wessington Springs near the present location of the residence of Geo. N. Price. While Mr. Orr was building his stable Silas Kinney was at work on a store and residence which still stands opposite Short's notion store. The Kinney building was completed and a flour and feed store opened in it the first week in July.
In the meantime work on the hotel was being rapidly pushed and on the 4th day of July the building was opened to the public. The following is an accurate description of the well known hostelry:
The main building was two full stories in height and was 24-60 feet in size. Above the second story was an attic, in which beds and cots were placed for use when the rooms below were all occupied, which was generally the case. The second story was divided into single and double sleeping rooms, so that with the use of beds and cots in the attic about seventy-five persons could be cared for at one time. At the rear end of the main building was the kitchen, 12x24 feet in size. In the southeast corner of the main building and adjoining the kitchen, was the dining room and fronting on Main street was the ladies' sitting room, IIX20. The hotel office, 11x30, was in the northwest corner. The hall and stair- way was located between the office and the ladies' sitting room, with doors leading into both and opening onto the Main street through the front door. A side door opening on to 2nd street was near the northwest corner of the office room. Two more sleeping rooms, designed for the use of the proprietors, were situated west of the dining room and south of the office. The hotel was heated with P. P. Stewart hard coal burners in the office and sitting room.
Connected with the hotel by a covered passage, in true New England style, was the hotel barn, 22x50, with an addition for stable room, 14×30.
While the hotel was being built Mr. Applegate, of Mitchell, put up and inclosed the building in later years known as the Carlton House.
In the month of June and the forepart of July the proprietors of the Wessington Springs Herald had a force of carpenters at work putting up the building used afterward by them as a printing office and bank. July 2Ist the Herald was issued from its new office for the first time.
Nearly all of the lumber used in the construction of the various build- ings in Wessington Springs and vicinity was brought with teams from Plankinton. In many places, where the trail crossed the streams and draws it was in dangerous condition. Especially was this the case at the
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crossing of what was then termed "The Long Gully" on the east line of section 18-107-64.
On the 15th of May, 1883, Mr. H. Blowers, who had been elected a road supervisor before Jerauld county was born, called on the neighbors and spent the day in rolling stone into the streams and making it passable. That was probably the first "road work" done in the new county.
About the first of June word was received that the lumber for the church had arrived at Wessington station on the C. & N. W. Ry. Hiram Blowers and R. S. Bateman at once went to that place to receive and unload the material. They met a great many people going to or from the station, and among them Mr. Jefferson Sickler, then living at Wessington Springs. Mr. Sickler had with him a wagon and a yoke of oxen and they induced him to haul a load of the lumber home for them. That was the first load of material hauled for the church in Wessington Springs. On the 5th of June Blowers and Bateman came in with two more loads. The church building committee then got together and selected the block upon which the Willard Hotel is situated as the site for the church. There the lumber was unloaded and preparations made to commence work on the foundation, but at the request of the townsite company the location was changed to the block south and to it the society received a deed from the company.
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